2027 MNM LIVABILITY INDEX

Jacksonville

Florida (FL)

Best for: Families, remote workers and professionals who want a large job market, beaches, more space and comparatively attainable housing without giving up major-city services.

2027 CITY CLASSMega City1 million+ residents

Modern Livability77.6/ 100

AT A GLANCE

Everyday numbers

Population1,017,689

Median Home$293,700

Median Rent$1,465

Median Household Income$69,872

Cost of Living~97.7 (US=100; 2024 MSA)

Average Commute24.1 min

Unemployment~4.3% metro (Jul 2026)

Metro AreaJacksonville, FL

2027 MODERN LIVABILITY SCORECARD

How this city actually lives

Twelve dimensions capture both hard data and the everyday experience traditional lists tend to miss.

77.6overall

Housing & Financial Reality82.0

Housing burden, taxes, insurance, utilities and what local incomes actually buy.

Ease of Living72.0

Errands, commute friction, parking, services and the effort required for daily life.

Safety & Stability68.0

Personal, neighborhood, road and environmental stability.

Economic Opportunity84.0

Jobs, wages, career mobility, employer diversity and economic resilience.

Health & Wellness80.0

Healthcare access, activity, mental wellness, healthy food and environmental health.

Beauty & Sense of Place76.0

Scenery, architecture, trees, cleanliness, public realm and distinct sense of place.

Mobility & Congestion58.0

Traffic delay, commute reliability, walking, cycling and transit usefulness.

Nature & Escape88.0

Trails, water, mountains, parks, public lands and how easily residents can escape.

Diversity & Belonging85.0

Diversity, integration, accessibility, newcomer friendliness and community connection.

Climate & Environment70.0

Comfortable weather, air quality, severe weather and environmental exposure.

Community & Culture84.0

Restaurants, arts, events, third places, recreation and social life.

Infrastructure & Connectivity85.0

Broadband, utilities, airport, highways, transit and essential connectivity.

THE THINGS OLD-SCHOOL LISTS MISS

What daily life feels like

Traffic / CongestionModerate to high. Jacksonville's enormous land area spreads traffic across multiple corridors, but bridge crossings, I-95/I-295 and beach traffic can create sharp rush-hour bottlenecks.

Weekend EscapeExcellent variety. Atlantic beaches, the Intracoastal Waterway, Timucuan Preserve, springs and coastal Georgia are all realistic escapes without leaving the region.

WalkabilityAbout 26/100 citywide Walk Score. The city is car-dependent overall, so the quality of daily life depends heavily on where home, work and errands are located.

Airport AccessVery good. Jacksonville International Airport is a manageable drive from most of the metro and offers broad domestic connectivity without the friction of a mega-hub.

Outdoor AccessExcellent for water and coastal recreation: beaches, marshes, paddling, fishing, river access and one of the largest urban park systems in the country.

Healthcare AccessStrong. Jacksonville has major regional systems including Mayo Clinic Florida, Baptist Health, UF Health Jacksonville and Wolfson Children's Hospital.

Air QualityGenerally favorable by large-metro standards, but ozone, heat, humidity, wildfire smoke and seasonal allergens can still affect sensitive residents.

Third Places / Social LifeStrong but dispersed. Riverside/Avondale, San Marco, the Beaches, Downtown events, breweries, sports and neighborhood commercial districts offer many gathering places.

EDITORIAL VIEW

More than a number

Trajectory: Improving

WHY IT STANDS OUT

Why we chose it

Jacksonville stands out in the 2027 MNM Livability Index for housing value for a major city; beaches and waterways; healthcare; logistics and finance jobs; large park system; family neighborhoods; airport convenience. The city does not score well simply because of one headline statistic: its profile reflects housing, everyday ease, wellness, beauty, mobility, nature, belonging, climate, culture and infrastructure together. The clearest tradeoffs are sprawl and car dependence; bridge and freeway congestion; hot humid summers; hurricane and flood exposure; downtown vitality varies block by block.

REAL LIFE

What living here actually feels like

Jacksonville feels more like a collection of distinct neighborhoods and coastal communities than one dense city. Life is car-oriented, but the scale creates room, beaches, waterways and unusually varied housing choices.

STRENGTHS

Where it shines

Housing value for a major city; beaches and waterways; healthcare; logistics and finance jobs; large park system; family neighborhoods; airport convenience.

TRADEOFFS